Mr Scruff: A DJ set should be a conversation

A lover of music, sound and a good cup of tea, Mr Scruff started out making mixtapes in his childhood bedroom before appearing in clubs around Manchester and then nationwide in the early 90s.

His name and reputation spread even further when he started releasing music of his own, which featured influences as eclectic in their influences as his DJ sets. His two albums on Ninja Tune, Keep It Unreal and Trouser Jazz, became staples of many an after party. 

Known for his marathon DJ sets, he remains in demand for his unique selection skills, effortlessly mixing everything from garage to bhangra and always keeping the dancefloor moving. 

Last seen in Margate on his Miniature Arena Tour in support of grassroots venues, he’s back this month for the full scale experience, playing The Drill Shed on Friday, October 23. Ahead of his Margate appearance, he tells us about the ritual of getting ready for a show, how he chooses the first tune of the night, and making sure a set is a “conversation” rather than a presentation.

You’re known for your marathon sets. What do you like about playing for so long versus a one or two hour set? What’s happening to your brain and body four or five hours in?

From when I started out playing bar and small club gigs in the early 1990s, I just got used to playing for at least four hours. It was normal in the late 1980s and early 90s to play all night, so my style and approach just evolved into more of a long form thing. 

I love the whole ritual of meeting the staff and crew, geeking out at soundcheck, and then playing from the moment the doors open. It keeps me much more connected to that venue in that moment, enables me to play a few great trippy long records, and to lose myself properly in the music and atmosphere. 

Four or five hours in is where all the musical loose ends from throughout the night get tied up.

You jump around genres a lot in your sets. How do you decide where to go and what’s the most unlikely track you’ve dropped that really got the crowd going?

I do move around between different genres and styles, try not to overthink things in terms of genre or category, and focus on looser, more open themes - tempo, mood, swing, key, instrumentation, lyrics etc. 

Once you get in the zone, you can really hone in on the essence of tracks, which helps to bridge and connect different types of music. Although the dub of Everybody Salsa by Modern Romance is a club classic, I have been playing the vocal version a lot over the last year or so. Not at all cool, but great fun!

Do you plan sets at all or is it all in the moment? When do you know your opening track?

All in the moment. Sometimes I have a feel or theme in mind, but planning sets to me is the equivalent of making a speech or a presentation. I want a conversation! I usually pick my opening track seconds before the doors open. Usually something very spiritual and spacey, kind of like musical incense to set the room up for the night ahead.

What tracks do you always have lined up ready that you know will get the crowd going?

Perennial favourites include:

Drymbago - Petit Guave - proper rabble rousing horny tropical funk from Snowdonia.
Reuben Wilson - Got To Get Your Own - Proper funk/early disco rollercoaster.
Waajeed - Power In Numbers - Gnarly Detroit machine funk.
Gabriele Poso - Ritmo Italiano - Extremely jolly Neapolitan disco groove.
East Of Eden - Jig A Jig - Irish Jig that flips into a funk tune.

Get a Move On became your breakout track. How do you feel about a track that big following you around for decades?

I don’t mind at all. It was quite a unique tune that touched on a few scenes & genres at the time. I still play it a lot!

Do you pick up new music while you’re on the road? Are there any go-to shops in Kent you’ve found?

There are loads of shops in Kent that I have yet to visit. Last time I was in Margate I spent a lot of time in Cliff’s and Ghost Papa. More than happy to take any advice on more stores to visit!

Night time venues have faced a lot of challenges in recent years. How have you seen the scene affected and how do you feel about the future?

Gentrification, noise complaints, rising prices, Covid and many more factors have proved really challenging for many venues. Lockdown really affected the already precarious situation, and really disrupted the hard-earned continuity and good mix of people that venues had managed to build over many years. Lots of young collectives have sprung up, and there seem to be a lot more interesting events in smaller, more local out of town places, early gigs, day parties etc. 

I feel positive that more individual, less generic events are happening, and that there are many organisations such as MVT [the Music Venue Trust] and Save Our Scene who are celebrating the smaller venues and highlighting and dealing with some of the issues faced, but the dark shadow of private equity is always around the corner.

What one venue would you resurrect if you could?

Plastic People. Such a remarkable and fertile place for so many scenes!

You’ve had a distinct visual style running through your artwork and merch for more than 25 years. Was it a conscious decision to build that persona when you started? Is it fun to keep finding new ideas in that style?

I have drawn in that potato style since the mid 1980s, and the daft streak running through my music suits the artwork very well. The cartoon has a soundtrack!

You’ve played in Margate several times now. What keeps you coming back and what do you enjoy about the town?

Every time I have played, the venues have been quirky with great sound, and the people and atmosphere have been lovely. Mega friendly with great energy. I just wish it was closer to Manchester!

Mr Scruff will DJ all night long at The Drill Shed in Cliftonville on Friday, October 23. Tickets £24.

Lead image credit: Anthony Mooney